Life and Trust
by Spyden
Summary: After collecting the Pearls, Link encounters a submarine. What happens next leads him to question what the source of his Courage is. When your life is on the line, how do you keep fighting? Wind Waker.


**Author's Note:** Haven't published anything in a long time, but now here's something for your enjoyment (hopefully). I don't envision this being very long: I don't see more than three chapters right now. Legend of Zelda is owned by Nintendo, not me.

Thanks for reading.

**Life and Trust**

Over the salted sea, where only monsters and man-fish live, a small boat skims across the calm waters. The sailboat, no more than a day-sailer, is so small that it only needs one man to steer it to any place in the Great Sea. A passenger may ride along if they do not mind being a little cramped and the boat herself boasted a large cargo hold; much larger than one would think at first glance. For one, the sail could be retracted into the boat with ease, while still having room to hold a salvaging hook and a cannon, all of which the sailor could switch between on the fly at a push of a button. She was a wooden vessel colored a brilliant red with white trim, a lion's head fashioned at her bow, with red face, white mane and teeth, and golden nose and horns and eyes inlaid with sapphires. The boat is aptly called 'King of Red Lions', and so, it would also be appropriate to refer to this boat with the masculine pronoun, making him one of the few male ships sailing the sea.

At the helm of the ship, which is just above the rudder at the back, stands a boy no older than twelve. He is clothed in a green tunic and undershirt, white leggings and brown boots. A green pointed phrygian cap covers his blonde hair, both of which flap this way and that from the wind pushing the sail and the wind he is cutting through in King of Red Lions. The East wind pushes the boy away from Dragon Roost Island, a volcano of an island where not only the Dragon, Valoo, lives, but also the bird-people called the Rito. Their ability to fly has made many of them couriers for the many islands interspersed within the Great Sea, which, as is known by anyone who hears the dreaded tales of the sea, is very dangerous even to fly over, much less sail over. Only the bravest or fool-hardy people dare to live on the seas. These would include merchants, treasure-hunters, pirates, different kinds of monsters that prey on everything else, and this boy.

As the island shrinks behind him, King of Red Lions decides to make use of the ability that only he has; turning his lion head toward the boy steering on his back and speaking. "Link," he addresses the boy, "I realize that I permitted you to return to Dragon Roost Island in hopes of seeing Medli and Komali again, but we cannot risk delaying any further."

"Oh come on," Link replies, nearly whining, "I already told you that Medli and Komali weren't there. I just know that something big is going to happen when I place all three of these pearls on the Triangle isles. Two of them are already in place, and believe me, they aren't going to budge for anything now."

"Why the delay then? Why not place the last pearl and continue?"

Link sighed, "I just wanted to relax a little. Getting to the Southern Triangle Island was really difficult since it was swarmed by Seahats. And trying not to get caught in the huge Cyclone right next to Northern Triangle Island wasn't really easy either, or did you NOT feel how much I was struggling against the current that was drawing us in. We weren't even that close!" The King of Red Lions did not respond immediately. Sure enough, Link continues, "I wanted to see how Medli and Komali were doing, but they're both involved in some sort of training or something. But THEN one of them was telling me about a Flying Challenge that was built just to the East of the Island. I figured I may as well give it a try since I have my Deku leaf and the Wind Waker to help me along. I've always wondered how far I could fly with that thing."

"And after this, you will feel rested enough to place Farore's Pearl on Eastern Triangle Island?"

Link nods with vigor, "Yep, I stocked up on some supplies at Beedle's Shop at Dragon Roost. I'm ready for anything right now."

Satisfied, King of Red Lions turns his head to face forward once more. Already, the flight platform could be seen off in the distance. After some time traveling, they are approaching the wooden structure when something catches Link's eye.

"Wait a minute," He says for his boat's benefit, lowering the sail and looking just to the right of the Lion's head. Due south from the platform, a wooden barrel bobbed lightly on the calm sea. This would not be a cause for interest had Link not seen this strange sight twice before. "Looks like a submarine." He states with a smile.

Having learned the name from some sailors at the café on Windfall Island, these oversized wooden barrels could be seen in some locations around the Great Sea. They served as a location to store treasure of some kind, and considering that all of them usually were in the control of monsters, the treasure more than likely belonged to the man in control of the Forsaken Fortress far in the North-west. Link has yet to really meet the man that King of Red Lions has only referred to as Ganon with a grave tone, but knows that he controls the bird that kidnapped his sister and still holds her captive in that Monster-infested Fortress.

Needless to say, Link takes every chance he can at fighting Ganon's forces whenever he runs across them in the Great Sea. The first submarine he found, he destroyed all the monsters and found…a glass bottle. He was a bit disappointed at first, but has come to appreciate having a sturdy container around in case he needs to buy potions or catch fairies or even hold his Grandma's soup (his mouth is watering just thinking about it, stay focused Link). The second submarine he ran across held a team of Moblins, who were tough, but he had faced them a few times before by that point and was able to beat them and take the piece of heart as his prize. These strange containers seemed to give Link more stamina and energy, though he couldn't tell if it was really the item he held or just him proving himself worthy of such a privilege as extended stamina, and the item was given to mark a test having been passed. Every time Link tried to figure out the point of these mysterious Heart Containers, which would also disappear after he held them for more than a second, his head would start spinning and he would get nowhere.

Point is, submarines hold treasure that Ganon doesn't want others to have, which means that Link can use it to his advantage. All he needs to do is take down whatever is inside.

"All right! Slight change in plans, King." He says, reopening the sail and changing his course to match the submarine, "I'm going to check this submarine out first, then I'll try the Flying Challenge, and then we can set the last Pearl." The boat, to his credit, only glanced back and didn't grumble at the boy's alteration of their supposed plan. King of Red Lions, if he is nothing else, is at least patient.

They reach the submarine in the afternoon, with plenty of day left to finish the fight here and go on to the challenge afterward. Link readjusts and tightens his sword and shield and his other battle items before entering. The sword, while on the small side objectively, fit his body proportions well. It was a gift from Orca, the sword-master on his home of Outset Island, and Link makes sure to keep the blade sharp day after day. The shield is wooden but very sturdy, and is a family heirloom said to have been used by the great Hero of Time of the old legends. That said, the shield is also a gift from his Grandmother; given so that he could save his sister…her granddaughter. He cannot help but think of both of them as he grasps the shield, fitting it on his right arm, and drawing his sword with his left hand.

Before entering, he reminds himself that he also has his grandma's Elixir Soup in a bottle that is very delicious and somehow restores his strength and even increases it for a little while (there's even enough in the bottle for two servings!). In another bottle is a fairy that he grabbed from a fairy fountain. He did so at first from the suggestion of King of Red Lions, since the boy was concerned about trapping the small fairies in a bottle and forcing them to help him. Then Link found out that the bottle is a strange way for the fairy to accept the task of helping you at least once, since, while they never looked very happy to be caught, the bottle never stopped them from escaping and rejuvenating Link when he had taken a few too many hits.

Link decides to bring his boomerang, which must have magical properties considering it ALWAYS returns to him, no matter how he throws it (though it doesn't come back if he drops it, he tested once), but leaves behind the Grappling Hook, since it doesn't particularly help him in battle anyway. He also leaves the Deku Leaf, not foreseeing a need to fly in the confined space of the submarine.

Feeling ready, Link enters the doorway at the top of the submarine.

The proportions, Link finds, are what he has seen in other vessels like this. The barrel shape is a decent diameter, about ten times his own height from the bottom floor to the ceiling and about twice as long as that. The door he enters leads down to a raised platform that drops to the floor below and usually has another raised platform on the other side where the treasure is kept.

However, unlike the others, this submarine has no torches for light. The little sunlight that is streaming in gives him a little vision to see that there isn't much on the ground floor. Spotting a ladder to the left, he climbs down and moves slowly to the center of the floor. His foot runs up against a raised block which Link recognizes as a button. Steeling himself, he jumps on the switch. Two torches near the other raised platform (where the treasure would be) light, and he hears a high pitched siren sound.

Though not loud, it is alarming, and Link looks around him to spot the source. Link has seen quite a few monsters on his adventures, but this is the first time he has seen this one. It has the head of a crow, but is clothed in a blue robe that covers the rest of its arms and body. It holds a wand in one hand (obscured by the cloak) that gives off colored sparks in the darkness. Hovering a couple feet off the ground, it waves its wand in circle. _Must be some sort of wizard._ Link breaks into a run toward the monster. _Which means that I've got to keep it from casting spells._

Slicing his sword in an overhead strike, his blade cuts through the fabric of the robe and into flesh…he guesses. Hard to tell in this light, but the resistance he felt seems to support this. Before he can ready another attack, the wizard disappears. "Wait, where did-" Link is cut off by hearing the siren sound again. Turning, he spots the wizard on the other side of the submarine. "Oh no you don't." Link sprints to the other side, slashing his sword once more. The wizard gives a grunt of pain before disappearing once more, on the other side of the vessel.

Link repeats his strategy two more times before the wizard howls out and explodes in a puff of black smoke. "Okay, one down, what else?"

Raining from the ceiling, Link dodges the eight Chu-chus that land with a gelatinous splat around him. _This isn't so—_he starts to think until the siren sound rings again. This time, the wizard is floating higher than before. _I'm going to have to jump to reach him this time…but with all these Chu-chus around…_ Smacking away an incoming Red Chu-chu, he pulls out his boomerang and throws it at the jelly monsters, stunning them, giving him enough time to run his sword through them without much effort. He hears a "HA" from behind him followed by the sound of fire coming toward him. He rolls forward as three balls of fire land behind him, one hitting the last Chu-chu and the other two hitting the wooden floor, burning briefly and then snuffing themselves out.

Link looks for the wizard but cannot find it until he hears the siren once more. Dashing to the sound before he can even see the bird, he jumps and slashes at the wizard just as it appears. Link keeps up the pressure against the wizard until this one also screams before vanishing in smoke.

Catching his breath, Link stays alert, _I hope that's all of the—_a siren sounds, followed by another siren, as two wizards appear, floating well outside Link's reach. He scowls running toward one that is lower to try and catch an early hit on the birds. Before he can finish the action, a bouncing shadow catches his eye, and another sound fills the submarine.

NAna, NAna-naNA, naNA. The incessant child-like sounds and taunts can only mean that there is a group of Miniblins nearby. Link pales as the wizards launch fireballs at him, lighting up the submarine long enough for him to see the pack of five little goblins holding spears bounding toward him. Dodging the wizard's attacks, he slashes at the nearest Miniblin, as an unsettling thought enters the back of his mind. _This is bad._ The Miniblins surround him long enough to stick him twice with their spears, doing little real damage, but keeping him in one place long enough for a fire ball to hit him. Link rolls away from the Miniblins, putting out his burning clothes at the same time, and keeps moving to kill the little imps.

Five puffs of black smoke later, Link turns his attention to the wizards, still too high to reach.

NAna, NAna-naNA, naNA naNA NAna Na Na. The sounds echo not from the walls but from each other, as five more Miniblins appear and surround him once more. "All right, FINE, bring it on!" Link shouts, slashing through the little monsters, keeping on the move to avoid the wizards' attacks, their sirens sounding every time they reappear after having disappeared following each of their attacks.

Link can only see the yellow eyes and the white teeth of the miniblins from the dim torches except when the wizards launch their attacks. After killing twenty or so miniblins, and after another pack of five appeared, complete with their incessant NAna-naNA's, Link finds himself riddled with cuts and light burns. He sprints to far corner and downs half of his Grandma's Elixir Soup, healing up many of his lighter wounds and bolstering his strength, only to be stuck by a small spear.

_This isn't working, I need to target the wizards._ New plan in mind, he cuts through the Miniblins and dashes for the ladder to the raised platform he entered from. Link reaches the top, but is slowed by six balls of fire still burning on the upper platform. Seeing a wizard appearing near him, he readies his sword to jump from the platform and strike. Then a Miniblin hops in front of him. "No!" He pushes past and jumps, but the wizard is already disappearing and Link's sword passes through nothing but air.

Growling, Link pulls out his boomerang and throws it at the wizards. It stuns them briefly, but not a second later and they disappear, followed by a siren signaling their reappearance elsewhere in the submarine. He throws it at the Miniblins, who are knocked back by each throw and disappear after two hits, but their numbers prevent the boomerang's tendency to stun enemies from being useful. Several stabs and burns later, and downing the last half of the Elixir Soup, he makes for the ladder once more.

Just as he starts to climb, a Miniblin stabs his thigh, causing Link to tumble off the Ladder. The wound isn't deep, but Link scrambles to get back up as the Miniblins surround him again, running straight into a fire left by a wizard attack. Rolling the fire out, he slashes through the Miniblins once more and tries for the ladder again. He hears the NAna-naNA's behind him and a "HA", meaning that a fireball can't be far behind. He makes it to the top again, only there are no wizards near enough to strike this time, and the Miniblins hop up the ladder and bounce toward him again. He hears the siren call of a wizard appearing and jumps to strike it as it appears, but he jumps too soon and his sword passes through the shadowy form of the wizard. All the while, the thought in the back of his mind grows. _I can't beat them. I'm not strong enough._

He spins his sword around him, knocking the Miniblins back, only to see the fairy from his bottle swirling around him. The fairies are usually happy to heal and fly with a smile. This one could not hide the look of worry on its face as it healed him.

Clutching his sword and shield, he cuts his way to the ladder. More Miniblins come from the darkness, and stab him again as he begins to climb. He runs to the other side of the submarine, waiting for the Miniblins to follow. Only now does Link realize how heavily he is breathing, how his legs are heavy and unstable.

He dashes past the crowd of Miniblins and begins to climb the ladder to the higher platform so that he could reach the exit, but a fireball blasts him off the ladder to the floor once more. Rolling again to smother his burning clothes, the Miniblins take the chance to stick him a few more times with their small but sharp spears. Cutting free and stumbling to the far side again, he waits.

His shield arm is numb, and he's losing feeling in his left. He can't tell if he is seeing double or if there really are that many Miniblin bouncing toward him.

The Sirens sound, the Miniblin's chant their battle cry: NAna, Na, Na, NAna-naNA, naNA.

_If I can't…If…_Link tries to catch his breath, to keep his thoughts together. His clothes are wet, his hair is matted to his forehead, his hand is covered in a dark wetness that he knows isn't sweat._ I'm going to die here._

NAna, Na, Na, NAna-naNA, naNA.

Link looks beyond them to the ladder, which seems to pull away from him as the Miniblins draw closer. He hears the wizards launch their spells. He sees the burning flames fly toward him, and forces himself to run, his legs aren't working the way they should. Miniblins take passing shots at him as he runs past, but he manages to reach the ladder and start climbing. He hears the sirens again while only halfway up the ladder. The Miniblins already swarm beneath him, but he doesn't look down to check.

He rolls off the ladder onto the upper platform, hearing the taunts of the Miniblins as they near the top of the ladder and the wizards launching their attacks. He pulls himself to his feet and stumbles to the doorway, a fireball close behind.

-x-x-x-

King of Red Lions turns to the opening of the submarine when he hears a cry. He has heard that cry of searing pain before, and fears that Link may be in danger. He does not have to ponder long as the boy, on fire, jumps into the sea and flails weakly.

"Link!" The boat lowers his head, allowing the boy to wrap an arm around one of his horns, and pulls him into the boat. Link promptly collapses.

"We've…got to get to Windfall."

"Link, what…" King of Red Lions takes as good a look at the boy as he can in a second or two. His clothes are singed, cut, and wet with salt water and in some places stained with red. Open wounds continue to dribble out blood which runs down his head and neck and arms, pooling on the deck of the boat at an alarming rate. The King gathers himself to continue, already using what little power he has to cruise toward the setting sun, "Windfall is too far, we're going to Dragon Roost."

"Need…poti-" he coughs, thankfully not bringing up any blood, but Link groans and then falls silent.

"Link, look at me." The boat rocks himself lightly, "Look at me, Link!" Link, staying still, looks at the Lion's head. "You need to stay awake, do you understand?" the boy nods slightly, satisfying the boat as he pushed himself to go as fast as he could.

"I failed…" Link finally wheezes out.

"That doesn't matter right now, Link. But as far as I am concerned, you have not failed yet. Concentrate on living, do not let that desire to live slip."

"I…I" Link coughs and quiets again. King knows this silence, where the pain grows so great that any movement or effort at all only makes it worse. He is already past the point of screaming in pain. Link cannot lose consciousness now, and he needs help even sooner.

Unfortunately, he cannot use his sail, since he is traveling against the wind, and Link is in no condition to use the Wind Waker. He may be able to push a button though…

"Link, can you ready the cannon?"

After a moment, Link drags his arm the inches it needs to reach in order to raise the cannon in place of where the mast and sail would be.

"Stay awake, Link. Keep tapping the deck. You must not lose consciousness if you can."

King of Red Lions fires a bomb high into the sky, followed by several more as the sun sets.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N: **Thanks again for reading. Please review if you have the time, I'd love to hear what you think.

As a note, this is an adaptation of what happened when I was playing through Hero Mode in Wind Waker HD. I managed to escape the sub with only half of a heart remaining. Wizrobes are very hard to fight without the Hero's Bow. Very exciting and ended up inspiring this story.


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